German Carmaker Collusion Revelations Create New Prospects for Other Innovators

It is one Martin Burt who said that we need to see opportunity inside each and every problem. Towards the end of July 2017, German publication Der Spiegel made fresh, startling revelations, around the Dieselgate Scandal that has rocked the country’s automobile industry particularly VW, for the past three years.

The scandal which unfolded in 2014 when emissions discrepancies between European and US models of vehicles were highlighted by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT), according to the publication, is a result of a decades long conspiracy among major German carmakers VW, BMW, Daimler and Porsche on dozens of tech related matters.

If proven true, the situation will no doubt create a long-lasting lack of trust in the global automotive industry, with the real economic impact of the scandal still waiting to unfold.

De Spiegel’s expose’ sounds like real trouble for German automakers as they face a potential battery of sanctions which might run into hundreds of millions in fines from European and international regulators.

The revelations have, however, created a rare window of opportunity for other innovators in the automobile industry.

Technology is needed to assist OEMs and vehicle manufacturers to actually meet the required standards. And that is where new innovation comes in. Varibox is very excited about the RADIALcvt, as this CVT will has the ability to radically make a difference in this space.

It is a well-known fact that current commercial CVT’s have a much lower mechanical efficiency than AT’s (Automatic Transmissions) and DCT’s (Dual Clutch Transmissions), especially in partial load conditions.

DCT’s and AT’s attempt to approach the infinite ratios of CVT by increasing their number fixed ratios, with the most recent versions having 10 speeds with a ratio spread of also about 10. However, each time a ratio is added to an AT or DCT, its complexity, cost and weight is increased.

The ultimate solution, therefore, is a CVT with mechanical efficiency comparable to that of DCT’s.

The RADIALcvt from Varibox provides such a solution. The RADIALcvt is a traction drive CVT that utilises a unique mechanical configuration, which addresses all the main issues currently resulting in the low mechanical efficiency of current commercial CVT’s.

Some of the main differences between the RADIALcvt and other commercial CVT’s include the elimination of a hydraulic control system, low rolling and spin speeds in the traction drive.

The simulation paper features the traction drive design of the RADIALcvt, as well as its traction drive efficiencies which are above 95% in all ratios. Also presented in the simulation document is the RADIALcvt in a configuration that allows for a ratio spread of up to 10 and beyond.

The current drive towards electrification also presents a huge opportunity for the RADIALcvt.